manure their cane-fields. The vine growers of Germany and the Cape
also bury the cuttings of their vines around the roots of the plants.
The cinnamon grower of the East returns the waste bark and cuttings of
the shoots to the soil. And in the coco-nut groves of Ceylon, the
roots of the trees are best manured with the husks of the nuts and
decomposed poonac, or the refuse cake, after the oil has been
expressed from the pulp. Analysis of soils is, perhaps, not so
essential in countries where virgin land is usually in abundance, and
the luxuriance of vegetation furnishes itself, by decomposition,
abundant materials for replenishing the fertility of the soil. But
there are some substances, such as muriate of soda, gypsum, phosphate,
and other compounds of lime, which may be advantageously applied.
Guano and expensive artificial manures, are seldom required, and,
indeed, will not repay the planters for importing.

An experienced cultivator can generally judge by a superficial
examination, aided by the situation, locality, and appearance of the
soil, whether a certain portion of land is fitted for the profitable
growth of any particular plant. Depth of soil, and facilities for
deepening it, with the nature of the subsoil, so as to know whether it
retains or parts with water, are also important considerations,
because tap-rooted plants require free scope for penetrating deep into
the ground.

A due supply of water is of vital importance to most crops--and
therefore the extent and periods of the fall of rain are essential to
be known, as it is not always possible to resort to irrigation. The
quantity of labor required for previous tillage, cultivation, and
harvesting of different crops, and the available supply, are primary
essentials to be considered before entering upon the culture of any